Systems and methods for heat balance and transport for aircraft hydraulic systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9644648-B2
Application number	US-201313937490-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2013
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A thermal management system is provided. The thermal management system includes a first hydraulic system for circulating a first hydraulic fluid at a first temperature, a second hydraulic system for circulating a second hydraulic fluid at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature, and a heat exchanger coupling the first hydraulic system to the second hydraulic system, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the first hydraulic fluid and the second hydraulic fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal management system comprising:
a first hydraulic system for circulating a first hydraulic fluid to at least a first hydraulically activated component, said first hydraulic system comprising a first pump, a first case drain line, a first reservoir, and a first return line coupled between said at least first hydraulically activated component and said first reservoir;
a second hydraulic system for circulating a second hydraulic fluid to at least a second hydraulically activated component, said second hydraulic system comprising a second pump, a second reservoir, and a second case drain line coupled between said second pump and said second reservoir; and
a heat exchanger coupled to said first return line and to said second case drain line, wherein said heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the first hydraulic fluid and the second hydraulic fluid, such that a temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in said first reservoir is stabilized above a threshold temperature that corresponds to a threshold amount of hydraulic power for operation of said at least first hydraulically operated component.

2. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is further configured such that the stabilized temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in said first reservoir is less than a temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in said first case drain line.

3. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is coupled to said first return line upstream from and proximate said pump first reservoir.

4. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is coupled to said first return line proximate said at least first hydraulically activated component.

5. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is a tube-in-tube heat exchanger comprising:
a first tube; and
a second tube, wherein said first tube circumscribes said second tube.

6. The thermal management system of claim 5 , wherein said first tube is in flow communication with said first hydraulic system and said second tube is in flow communication with said second hydraulic system.

7. The thermal management system of claim 6 , wherein said heat exchanger is further configured such that a stabilized temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in said first case drain line is within about 30 degrees Fahrenheit of a stabilized temperature of the second hydraulic fluid in said second case drain line.

8. An aircraft comprising:
a first hydraulic system for circulating a first hydraulic fluid to at least a first control surface actuator, said first hydraulic system comprising a first pump, a first case drain line, a first reservoir, and a first return line coupled between said at least first control surface actuator and said first reservoir;
a second hydraulic system for circulating a second hydraulic fluid to at least a second control surface actuator, said second hydraulic system comprising a second pump, a second reservoir, and a second case drain line coupled between said second pump and said second reservoir; and
a heat exchanger coupled to said first return line and to said second case drain line, wherein said heat exchanger is configured to exchange heat between the first hydraulic fluid and the second hydraulic fluid, such that a temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in said first reservoir is stabilized above a threshold temperature that corresponds to a threshold amount of hydraulic power for operation of said at least first control surface actuator.

9. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein said heat exchanger is further configured such that the stabilized temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in said first reservoir is less than a temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in said first case drain line.

10. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein said heat exchanger is coupled to said first return line upstream from and proximate said first reservoir.

11. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein said heat exchanger is coupled to said first return line proximate said at least one control surface actuator.

12. The aircraft of claim 11 , wherein said at least first control surface actuator is coupled to at least one of a spoiler, an elevator, and a rudder.

13. The aircraft of claim 8 , wherein said heat exchanger is a tube-in-tube heat exchanger comprising:
a first tube; and
a second tube, wherein said first tube circumscribes said second tube.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein said first tube is in flow communication with said first hydraulic system and said second tube is in flow communication with said second hydraulic system.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein said heat exchanger is further configured such that a stabilized temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in said first case drain line is within about 30 degrees Fahrenheit of a stabilized temperature of the second hydraulic fluid in said second case drain line.

16. The aircraft of claim 8 , further comprising at least one engine and wherein said first pump is drivingly coupled to said at least one engine.

17. The aircraft of claim 8 , further comprising landing gear and wherein said second hydraulic system is further configured to circulate the second fluid to said landing gear.

18. The thermal management system of claim 1 , wherein said heat exchanger is further configured to prevent dissipation of heat to the surrounding ambient.

19. A method for managing temperatures in a machine, said method comprising:
circulating a first hydraulic fluid through a first hydraulic system coupled to at least a first hydraulically activated component of the machine, the first hydraulic system including a first pump, a first case drain line, a first reservoir, and a first return line coupled between the at least first hydraulically activated component and the first reservoir;
circulating a second hydraulic fluid through a second hydraulic system coupled to at least a second hydraulically activated component of the machine, the second hydraulic system including a second pump, a second reservoir, and a second case drain line coupled between the second pump and the second reservoir; and
exchanging heat between the first hydraulic fluid and the second hydraulic fluid with a heat exchanger coupled to the first return line and to the second case drain line, such that a temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in the first reservoir is stabilized above a threshold temperature that corresponds to a threshold amount of hydraulic power for operation of the at least first hydraulically operated component.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein exchanging heat with the heat exchanger further comprises stabilizing the temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in the first reservoir to be less than a temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in the first case drain line.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein wherein exchanging heat with the heat exchanger further comprises stabilizing the temperature of the first hydraulic fluid in the first case drain line to be within about 30 degrees Fahrenheit of a stabilized temperature of the second hydraulic fluid in the second case drain line.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Liao Jianmin

Classifications

• B64C13/42

  having duplication or stand-by provisions · CPC title

• F15B1/26

  Supply reservoir or sump assemblies · CPC title

• B64C25/22

  fluid · CPC title

• F15B2211/62

  Cooling or heating means · CPC title

• F15B2211/20576

  with multiple pumps · CPC title